suem

Just from your earlier description I was guessing the spring paddle thing is missing, that picture just confirms it. It apparently must have broken off at some point, you can see the screws on the needle bar holding down what is most likely the top of the spring attachment with the lower piece missing. Wow, the sellers seemed like a nice older couple, either their mechanic ripped them off or they were not the nice set of folk I thought they were; oh well not completely unexpected. So I either need to get determined and do it myself or just work a trip to the local tech into the budget and I suppose whilst he has it apart he can clean and lube up the butterfly too. When we were mounting it on the table, we noticed one of the mounting screw holes on the bottom of the base was broken, not so much it couldn't receive a screw but still broken....sheesh guess that's my luck with industrials..the first machine I bought UPS dropped off a truck or off the pallete in the warehouse and broke the base on that one too (took one corner of the base completely off..one hole mounting screw hole). Fortunately there was insurance...of course UPS fought tooth and nail to avoid paying the claim, but we won in the end. Moral of the story on my first leather machine, UPS drops everything never send a big machine like these anything but freight. We were thinking we could fix that mounting hole with jb weld...are the bases separate on the 72? (I can't tell) (As for the question about the 58 having that spring...I'd bet it does, Singer seems to have found a good thing and just kept improving it...they all look pretty similar to me at first glance and if you look at the parts manuals a huge number of stuff is the same on a number of them.) FYI...I looked at home depot and asked a few questions about removing grease/oil...no one really knew about anything but the blaster. I think the orange stuff would do it but it wouldn't be something you'd want to get on paint because I KNOW from past experience that left on long enough it will dissolve paint, even the bottled variety sold for the kitchen will. Like I said I build a lot of computers, dirty contacts (grease oil corrosion) are issues. The can says it "dissolves petroleum products" and I also thought the contact cleaner would be good because it dries with no residue and "shouldn't" hurt rubber (i.e. all the plastic coating wiring in the system). I tried that and it took it right off one good spray or two, used a paper towel to catch the drips and rubbed around back there as much as I could. I also used the contact cleaner to try to clean out the butterfly and that HELPED a lot but I guess now we know that the spring is broke....but if it's completely broke I bet that isn't why the butterfly head is stiff? (since it was said if it was 'twisted" that could stick it up, but this isn't twisted it's completely broken off) The head has gone from catching in two places to catching in one now soo it probably is/ was all gummed up, the contact cleaner got a lot of black stuff to drip out when I sprayed it good. Thank you so very much for everything everyone!!!!! If I could send you all a big batch of home made cookies I'd do that!!!!!.

Of course the can of blaster is hiding, I have some electronics contact cleaner that says it will dissolve petroleum products. I use this in my computers all the time...think that's ok to use? I also have some of that citrus stuff that from what I've seen will remove paint if left on full strength for long enough, I'm thinking WD 40 would NOT be a good choice. It looks like the worst is in the front behind the plate on that big pin....but I will use the rag suggestion...aggh I'm not even a mechanic and I know that one.

The second part sounds daunting but nothing I can't handle if the phone doesn't ring, people leave me alone and I've got all day ;-) Only part that is a little intimidating is knocking that pin out, it doesn't sound like you're saying there are any hard to do adjustments in there (kind of unbelievable but if you say so....). thanks for the tip about the crudded up butterfly. It does look a little cruddy in there if you look up from the needle plate; going to keep oiling it and pray...course if it has to go in for this other issue (s) I'll just leave it. As for inspecting that spring...I guess I must be an idiot, I can see the slot in the area above the needle, I can spot the two screws that are screwed onto the needle bar up beyond the butterfly but I sure can't see the "paddle," could it be that it's already broken off? That would be annoying. Can you get a picture of what it's supposed to look like and post it? I guess I'll find out if it's broken when i try to sew won't I; my impression is I won't get good stitches if that is broken. I guess if I'm getting the main drive gear cleaned of grease (and it is grease I put my finger on it and it came off with the consistency of vaseline but it smells like lithium grease), the butterfly straightened out (i.e. not sticking) and that stupid spring repaired that 70 bucks is looking more and more fair. Aggravating I wanted to play with it this week.

That's what I mean some dufus already put some thick black grease back there before I got it!!!!!! So how do I get this off before it causes an issue? Wow, not surprising, people that sold it to me told me that an industrial mechanic worked on it...sounds like the guy was an idiot. So will pb blaster do to take all that out of there? Or wd 40? I know there are some products that dissolve grease...heck even I know you don't put anything but white oil on a sewing machine. The 29K book says in one place that if you have a squeaky issue that regular oil isn't fixing to try some hot paraffin...that's still miles from thick black possibly lithium or bearing grease as this stuff appears to be! Aggh always take a close look at your purchases, some idiot could have screwed it up. Going to inspect the spring and keep oiling it hopefully that's all it is..........

Lubrication question On the right side of the machine, near the balance wheel, and on the back of the machine there is a panel that is opened for lubrication. I was wondering what grease should be used on what I'm assuming is the main drive shaft because it's so close to the pullys for the belt. They appear to have used some sort of thick black grease there. I was always under the idea that you stuck with heavy silicone grease that black grease wasn't good because it can dry out and cake (I had that happen to one of my older kenmores, the grease thickened up to the point the machine wouldn't run). So what sort of heavy lubricant should I use on that drive gear??? Thanks.

Ok thanks. Some of that made sense (i'm a computer hardware geek and I dabble in mechanical stuff..wish I'd paid more attention when dad tried to teach me mechanics when I was a spud)...so in essence you're saying that the nut(s) can be sticking out too far or turned the wrong way and rubbing on something. It's improved a touch since I oiled it last night. Most of the way it's smooth as silk, just two places it feels like it's binding a tad and it's not a hard grabby binding like you'd expect with a bad spring, it does feel like a rubbing binding which might explain why it got a little better with some slippery stuff. Funny, the owner said they just had it serviced and I'd expect a good tech to check such things and adjust or repair as necessary. Of course they also told me the front tensioner was there when they put it in the trailer to bring it to me and I go back and look at the ebay pictures and it wasn't there; that's what I get for insufficient research but I really don't feel taken the parts are fairly easy to get with only a few minor exceptions it's a very pretty machine full of history. So....hex nuts....I need a tiny box wrench, assuming english size or was britain on hex in the 1950's????? Is it the typical righty tighty or is a a f*ck nut that is a reverse thread. I just took a close look at that, it looks like there is a tiny but adequate amount of clearance there so we are most likely back to the spring issue. I wouldn't mind learning how to pull that needle bar and fix it myself but if there are fine readjustments to make it all "go" again that's really a lot more time than I have at the moment, I want to use it that would just frustrate me, LOL. I have another machine sitting on the floor that the screw on the needle bar loosened and it moved out of position, the place told me how to fix it I just haven't gotten to it because I have other machines, don't need it. If I pull the needle bar to replace this spring is it a PITA to get out, reinstall and are there adjustments or is it just a pull it out and put it back thing? Any good diagrams? I saw a book on ebay supposedly written by a tech, not old hat revisited, ten bucks download...probably worth it if it's illustrated etc. What tools will I need if I decide to try this....... Sue. Thanks for the response.

I haven't had a chance to test out the machine yet (need somebody to help me bolt it down because this thing is weird in that the screws come up from below and screw to the bottom of the machine) hopefully a friend is coming by today to help me get the machine head properly installed on the table. I have seen that leaf spring for sale, probably need to pick a few up, removing the needle bar sounds like a bit of an operation. I have a very competent industrial tech just blocks away but he wants seventy bucks just to look at it (not that he doesn't deserve that because he does) and that isn't in the budget at the moment.

I just got a 29k 72 patcher. From what I'm reading here I guess I paid a little high for it but I'm happy with it. The long bed 72 model seems a little tough to find plus is a 1950's model made in clydebank scotland and the historical value adds a bit of value to me. I only wish I'd gotten one of those nice original tables but mine came with a standard modern table with a clutch motor (which is going to be fun I guess since I'm used to the other type which are easier to handle/control). I've never owned anything with a butterfly head before, I never even knew a machine existed with a head that could turn 360 degrees. I always wondered how they sewed zippers into boots, guess this is it. Yes, I'd like more footlift but I've got a 1" footlift ludwig/aka seiko standard depth cylinder bed for heavier stuff. This attracted me for fixing boot zippers and also the ability to sew in circles for patches etc. in jacket arms and I can see a hundred other applications too. Probably will be dealing a lot with motorcycle bags, seats, the occasional jacket repair. Would do chaps on my other machine most likely. My question regards the butterfly head. It moves smoothly most of the way around, it gets a little "stiff" in two spots. i've put a little oil in the head thinking it was a bit dry, which helped, but I'm wondering if something may be bent or worn inside...don't want to push it and break something. Should this head move easily and smoothly the whole 360 degrees or should I expect a bit of resistance in some spots? thanks for responding.

From what I have seen all the 29K line thread and work similarly, big difference is bed depth apparently. I've attached a book I found on smithsonian, great instructions/pictures for threading etc. Hope this helps you out.29k compressed manual.pdf

Hi Bob I paid five hundred for mine with a modern power table, he got a deal with the original treadle table and I'm not finding those around by themselves anyplace. It's a rather popular machine apparently, the guy that sold it to me got a ton of other offers after we'd already agreed...fortunately for me he was honest and kept his end of the bargain. As for parts, I'm looking for one thing no one seems to have....the screw that holds the wood handle on the machine.... I'm sure I can engineer it from one at the depot but I'd much rather have the right one to complete my machine. It arrived without the front tensioner for the darning function completely missing. After much tearing of hair managed to find that in britain but no one carries the screw for the wood handle, can find the handles but not the screw that holds it on. I'm also interested in the other two(?) of three feet. I have a 29K72 which I believe came with a standard foot (which is on there) but I've seen pictures of at least one other foot that's described as a "feeder" ? what's it for? You may be the one to ask this....is the butterfly head supposed to spin smoothly all the way around? Mine catches in 2 places, oiling it a bit helps but could there be something bent inside or warn to cause that? Thanks.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong please...just from looking at photos of the bobbins, the small have a slot that starts at the outer edge, while the large ones have a slot that starts on the inner hub.... the big one looks tiny to me as well when you compare with a modern home or industrial bobbin. Best price I've seen on the threading wires is on ebay 2 for 14.00. Most other places want like 12 bucks each!

Just remember, there are two ways to thread it, one for regular sewing and one for darning apparently. I've been looking for a good manual myself for awhile, this is the best I found off the smithsonian site, apparently all the 29K thread similarly. Hope this helps. I have a better quality one but it can't be that big for this attachment. 29k compressed manual.pdf

Oh I'm sew (lol) jealous. I just got a 29k72 that somebody mounted on a standard table (yuk). I don't know whom in their right minds would put a cylinder machine on a standard table, it sort of defeats the purpose of the cylinder bed if you ask me. I guess the machines were either sold with the table or not, see lots of machine and table combos, lots of machines alone but rarely a table with no machine. Wah..I'd love one to complete my 1955 scotland made 29k72. If you come across another one and fix it up I bet one of us in here would hand you a tidy sum for it. I'm not sure I'm going to like the clutch motor being used to the other type...I've heard they are a touch harder to control and a bit noisier since they run all the time...but then I've also heard they packa touch more punch too.

I am looking for a used leather patching machine, i.e shoe patching machine, 18" narrow arm preferred. Highest footlift available. I'm in the south florida area but I'm willing to drive a few states to get it. I would prefer one in good shape that works or at least one that mostly works and parts are easily obtainable for. I don't care if it's just the head or a head with a power stand. I prefer one that has the option of mounting the hand wheel in the front or at the end. Thanks for looking!